Comments on: ‘Tam Lin’ by Pamela Dean

By: » Rereading Tam Lin

» Rereading Tam Lin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:33:09 +0000

[...] Someone whose review I read complained that real students don’t talk in quotations and allusions, the way that the ones in the book do; but I have daughters aged sixteen and almost eighteen and I can confirm that they do, though mine haven’t read enough Shakespeare to use that. Moreover, some of the people she’s complaining about aren’t exactly twentieth-century students, but she lost interest in the book before she found that out. It’s lots of foreshadowing, and at the end things fall into place– though shakily, because the ending seems rushed. Also, not everything falls into place: what happens to Molly whose boyfriend is– well, not exactly a twentieth-century student? What happens to Tina who almost literally falls by the wayside? [...]

By: oldenglishrose

oldenglishrose — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 21:43:39 +0000

This is just one of those occasions on which the majority and I heartily disagree. There are lots of books out there that I love that others don’t though, so it takes all sorts.

By: bwyrm

bwyrm — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 19:33:21 +0000

This review makes me sad, as I am a huge fan of both the ballad and this reinterpretation of it. Oh well, I guess it’s a question of personal preference!

By: oldenglishrose

oldenglishrose — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:45:00 +0000

An awful lot of people have loved it, so don’t let the fact that I didn’t put you off. At least if you don’t like it you won’t be quite as disappointed as I was!

By: PolishOutlander

PolishOutlander — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 22:05:12 +0000

I’ve had this book on my shelf for quite some time, with a drastically different cover. When I look at it, I think “Why did I buy this?” Mostly because I am very unfamiliar with the fairy tale. Although, I have a feeling, based on what you wrote, that it will be some more time before I read it.